The present invention relates to an electrostatic copying machine comprising means for sensing copy sheet jams and other feed failures and feed out copy sheets downstream of the jams.
High speed electrostatic copying machines generally have long sheet feed paths down which a plurality of copy sheets are sequentially fed. As many as four or five copy sheets may be in the feed path at a given time. Disposed along the feed path are operating units which transfer and fix toner images of original documents to the copy sheets to provide permanent reproductions.
Such copying machines are provided with jam sensors which sense for jams of the copy sheets. When a jam is sensed, the entire copying machine is shut down and a visual indication provided which indicates the location of the jam. This allows the operator to clear the jam and proceed with the copying operation.
However, at the time the copying machine is shut down, several sheets may be in the feed path undergoing various operations such as toner image transfer and fixing. Interruption of the copying operation during the course of transfer or fixing will result in all or most of the copies being ruined. Such waste is actually unnecessary since the jam affects only the copy sheets upstream of and including the jammed sheet.